Michael Phelps broke Mark Spitz's Olympic record of 7 Gold medals in a single Olympic Games, by helping the USA team win the Gold in the Medley race, giving Phelps 8 Gold Medals at the 2008 Beijing Olympics. Mark Spitz has been the record holder for most gold medals in a single Olympic games since 1972 when the Olympic games were held in Munich. Even Spitz himself said that what Michael Phelps did, only 23, was EPIC. So who do you think would win in a race between Mark Spitz and Michael Phelps?

well he is younger and could do a lot better since he won more medals. but i also think that the training has gotten better over time, being a swimmer myslef, and i think thats what really helps swimmers out the most, is good training.

Mark Spitz was the premier athlete of his time, but that was 36 years ago. His world records were beat, but his 7 gold medals in one Olympiad stood until now. You can't really compare the 2, but if they both got in the pool tomorrow I think Mike Phelps would win.

Considering it was 1972 and much has happened in sports, I think Spitz would of won if the conditions were the same today as back then because in the improvements Spitz won on pure GUTS to do it and Phelps has had the improvements in the "POOL"......"Swim Suits........those old Speedo's" lol... the training and so on and so on.........I am and always will be a Mark Spitz fan since at the time he won those precious 7 Gold .....I was in the hospital delivering my 4 child who had conigetial birth defects with both feet and was a double club foot and his orothopedic surgeon said it was the very worst case he had ever seen, and told my husband who was so disappointed that he wouldn't play football.......he could swim after watching Mark Spitz!!!!!!!! My son played soccer, was one hell of a basketball player, and a baseball player who hit them out of the park and a football player who his teammates voted him MVP!!!!!!!!! He could shimmy up a pole while other kids stood on the ground wondering how he could do it....they couldn't! He could swim and never tire.........he was a distance swimmer and those skinny legs of his suddenly developed from that knot in his calf to normal looking like everyone else!!!!!!!! which was due to his hours and hours in the pool!!!!! He had had several surgeries...'

Considering it was 1972 and much has happened in sports, I think Spitz would of won if the conditions were the same today as back then because in the improvements Spitz won on pure GUTS to do it and Phelps has had the improvements in the "POOL"......"Swim Suits........those old Speedo's" lol... the training and so on and so on.........I am and always will be a Mark Spitz fan since at the time he won those precious 7 Gold .....I was in the hospital delivering my 4 child who had conigetial birth defects with both feet and was a double club foot and his orothopedic surgeon said it was the very worst case he had ever seen, and told my husband who was so disappointed that he wouldn't play football.......he could swim after watching Mark Spitz!!!!!!!! My son played soccer, was one hell of a basketball player, and a baseball player who hit them out of the park and a football player who his teammates voted him MVP!!!!!!!!! He could shimmy up a pole while other kids stood on the ground wondering how he could do it....they couldn't! He could swim and never tire.........he was a distance swimmer and those skinny legs of his suddenly developed from that knot in his calf to normal looking like everyone else!!!!!!!! which was due to his hours and hours in the pool!!!!! He had had several surgeries and has some thick scars but he has exceded my expectations what I thought he could ever do and my encouragement to him was what Mark Spitz did!!!!!! Phelps is good, and he should appreciate his teammates on the RELAYS.....Jason was fantastic!!!!! But Mike Phelps isn't the greatest but he is among some of the greatest!!!!!!!!!!!

With the changing suit technology, the methods of shaving, tapering, nutritional information and all around better training today i wouldnt say Phellps would win. What if mark spitz was the same age as phelps today in todays circumstances, it would be pretty close.

It really dosent matter..its great bar conversation...you really cant compare athletes of different eras... to may variables...all you can say is Spitz was the best of his time..and Phelps is the best of his time..someday someone will better all of Phelps accomplishments...records are made to be broken....

There is no arguing that fresh young talent could wipe out an older man who has not been training as intensely for the last 36 years. But if you pitted the young Mark Spitz against Phelps in this time period, with these current swimwear technology and training methods, you'd have a very tight race indeed, and in fact would split the medals because they are both fierce competitors.